Week 71

Wow! So many good things this week. It seems like after 2 transfers of
hard work, this area is booming. Lots of new investigators again, lots
of miracles and blessings.

So I guess I'll start off by thanking you guys for your prayers. On
Monday night, Elder Minkler and I were walking and the Spirit told me
to be incredibly careful. I told Elder Minkler "Cuídate" and about
three seconds later we found out why. It was a pretty dangerous moment
where he and I were singled out, but we made it out ok! So I want to
thank you guys so much for your prayers about protection. I definitely
felt the hand of The Lord in that situation. We were very protected.
And on Friday we heard a gunshot really close. Like really really
close and everyone in the streets ran inside, but we didn't feel the
spirit warning us or anything so we just kept walking. Oh Vallejo.
Actually on the Fourth or July we have to be in by 7, so after dinner
we are going to go teach Adrian (more about that in a little!!) and
he'll give us a ride home.

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God answers prayers. And when we're obedient, be it on the mission or
in the real world, we receive some pretty amazing blessings. So elder
Minkler and I have been contacting 20 a day like we've been asked to
do. And so this week we were about to teach 12 lessons, which is the
most this area has had since November. Not only that, but there was
the greatest answer to a prayer ever. I've been praying for the last
two weeks that Adrian and Jackie would call us. Every single night I
prayed for it because they're just the best and I love them a ton. So
on Thursday we go to Hermano Cortez' house to paint his house for
service. Hermano Castañeda is there with his son Samuel, who is the
cutes. Well it was super fun, I swear Hermano Cortez was in the cartel
before he was baptized. I told them I wanted to go home and study
Spanish and Hno Castañeda said "your Spanish is great Elder! Don't
worry about it!" So that was super cool. Ok, I'm getting distracted.
Anyway, we're painting the house and I feel my phone vibrate. I pull
it out of my pocket, and Jackie is calling us. So we talked for like
10 minutes, she's just like "I want the Spirit that you guys bring to
be back with us" so we set an appointment for that night. We finish
painting, eat delicious mole that Hermana Cortez cooked, and we went
back to the pad to change.

We taught a lesson with a member to a different investigator at 7, and
then at 745 biked waaaaaay fast to get to their apartment. So we
taught them and it was awesome. They just talked about how when they
read as a couple the feel the spirit (remember, he is an investigator
and she is a less active) and we just caught up. We told them that the
problems they are having would be easier to solve if they lived the
Gospel. It was sweet, and we set a lesson for the next day, to which
we invited the Cortez family.

So we're going to sidestep (I realize this email is confusing, just
follow me here.). We are walking to Adrian and Jackie's for the
lesson. I have to go to the bathroom really, really, really bad. So we
are passing a Taco Bell and I'm like- Elder Minkler, I've gotta go.
Give me a sec. So we go in, I use the bathroom, and as we're leaving I
notice this guy sitting with some other people and he's wearing a
Strike to Survive shirt. And so I went up to him and I said "I love
Strike to Survive. I saw them in Salt Lake back in 2011, and my band
played a show with them last winter!" And so they were all like what
the heck is this missionary talking about? But I got to know them
better, turns out that there was a hardcore show next to the CVS, and
they invited me to go with them. I explained that I couldn't, but they
were super super cool guys.

So we go to the lesson, the Cortez family just testified hard about
how much baptism had blessed their lives, like it was super duper
awesome. Adrian said that the divorce will be finalized in October,
that he will get married to Jackie and get baptized ASAP. All this
time, their 1 year old son is sitting on the couch asleep next to me.
It was adorable!

Ok so now- we're walking back to the pad, and I hear the show. It
sounded amazing. And then I hear- "Hey Missionaries! Come over here!"
So it's the guys from Taco Bell! I didn't go in, but believe me, I
wanted to so bad. Anyway, those guys have a great impression of the
church.

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Ok so that's the Adrian and Jackie story. Last night we had the most
spiritual lesson with the Castañedas. They promised us to come back to
church which was awesome.

Also, I didn't think that it mattered that much here in Vallejo, but
the work was slow yesterday since Mexico lost. People cooking big
carne asadas, but they weren't talking and no music. It was definitely
a sad day. No one wanted to talk. Hopefully today will make up for it!
We have 3 member present lessons planned. Hopefully they all go
through!

So I guess two more things.

Isaac is Hno C's son. He's 5 years old, and he comes to church
with glasses. I was like- hey! Nice glasses! You know, Peter Parker
has glasses, too! And so he tells me- yeah, Spider-Man does! And you
do, too! So I felt super, super cool!

Last thing- starting today at 6, I will be starting my new 7 month
fitness program. No soda/ sugary drinks (nope, not even Mountain Dew
or Arizona), only eating out on weekly planning Friday, running every
morning and working out every night. I'm going to get slim and lean.
And we have an unlimited supply of Muscle Milk since we live with
Vallejo 2nd Ward, and their bishop works for Cytosport. That means you
can expect me looking like Edward Norton in Fight Club by the time I
get back (but not like him in American History X. Aside from the bad
tattoos, I don't think I can get that big as a missionary. That comes
after!). So get ready for Fitness Foster!

Well, I love you guys! Stay safe, read the scriptures, pray and all that jazz.

Love,
Elder Foster